BW Legal letter of claim

Coupon-mad

Yes, that's how to write any formal letter or email - with ''your ref'' etc.

concernedwoman

Ok, so I was sent a SAR with the info they hold on me including photos of the car upon entry and exit. Do I just wait? Do I need to respond to the SAR?

Thanks in advance

Coupon-mad

If the site is local you could go on a recce and get photos if you think it will help your case, and maybe speak to a store manager or two and see if any of them will cancel it, if you were with a shopper in your party who spent money, or if you have spent money there a lot!

Complain - you could get lucky with a Store Manager who hates this scam.

Trouble is, you had no reason to driver into a private car park (ANY retail park is private land, of course...). Never use such as place to meet people, in a car, you are bound to fall foul of a scammer PPC - unless you cover your number-plate with a carrier bag on entry/exit, as some people do.

Next time, drop the passenger off/pick them up on street, that is allowed activity as long as you don't wait to long or in a bus stop/taxi rank etc. Dropping off and picking up people is what double yellow lines on street are for, among other exempt activity.

You case is worth REALLY trying the complaint if this was a retail (or hotel, etc) car park and if anyone you were with can back your complaint up with a large receipt or two, to make the Store Managers want to keep your group sweet.

Try it, you might be surprised...nothing to lose and what a relief if they will.

concernedwoman

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately the car park isn't a store car park, it's just a car park in the town centre. It's not attached to any shops. So do I just wait for a letter regarding court as I'm confused as to what to do.

Coupon-mad

You will have to wait or (if you really have no defence, which is rare but you shouldn't have driven in & not paid) send Britannia/BW Legal an offer marked 'without prejudice, save as to costs'.

Up to you.

Remember if you lose in court you might pay £150 - £200 so if you offered £60 (the discounted PCN sum) it's a start. They won't accept it but might offer to settle at £100 which is horrible for me to type. I hate suggesting that!

But you seem to have told us nothing that will win this case at a hearing.

concernedwoman

Thanks, but I'm a bit confused. I thought the general consensus was that these charges are requests for payments and that they are over inflated and wouldn't stand up in court. Now it sounds like I just have to pay. I know I shouldn't use a car park without paying but I didn't see it like that at the time and it was a genuine mistake. I haven't admitted that to them as that would show I admit I was driving which I shouldn't do according to the advice I've read here. If I had parked intending to leave the car there while I shopped etc I would have paid.

If I offer a settlement payment is that like admitting it? Or is there no point trying to deny it? What was the point of the sar and the letter to bwlegal? I'm genuinely confused, hope I'm not coming across as critical or unappreciative.

Thanks again

Le_Kirk

concernedwoman wrote: »

If I offer a settlement payment is that like admitting it? Or is there no point trying to deny it? What was the point of the sar and the letter to bwlegal? I'm genuinely confused, hope I'm not coming across as critical or unappreciative.

Admitting what? The truth? Coupon-mad is a well respected, long-time member of the forum (check out her posts and thanks) and she must be sitting at the keyboard grinding her teeth whilst she suggests you try to get an agreement to pay a lesser amount! The point of the SAR was to find out why the PPC were going after you and what evidence they had. They said you didn't pay and your defence is ...............

You see the problem?

You are not coming across as critical or unappreciative, just that you haven't been given a free get out of jail card because there isn't one.